BCCI unveils India's 2026-27 home season with 22 matches across 17 cities
India's cricket fans now have something concrete to plan around. The BCCI released the full schedule for the 2026-27 home season on Thursday, confirming 22 international matches spread across 17 cities, four touring teams and enough cricket to keep the country busy from September to March.
West Indies kick things off in September
The season starts on September 27 when West Indies arrive for a white-ball tour. Three ODIs in Trivandrum, Guwahati and New Chandigarh come first, followed by a five-match T20I series that moves through Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The T20I leg wraps up on October 17.
Sri Lanka visit in December
Sri Lanka follow with a six-match white-ball tour in December. The ODIs will be played in Delhi, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad before the T20I leg heads to Rajkot, Cuttack and Pune. For Cuttack fans in particular, international cricket returning to Barabati Stadium around Christmas will be a welcome treat.
Zimbabwe return for three ODIs
Zimbabwe tour India in January 2027 for a three-match ODI series. The games are scheduled for Kolkata on January 3, Hyderabad on January 6 and Mumbai on January 9. It may not carry the same buzz as other series, but the BCCI is clearly using every available fixture to sharpen India's 50-over squad before the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy takes centre stage
The main event sits at the back end of the calendar. Australia arrive for a five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting on January 21, 2027, in Nagpur. Chennai hosts the second Test from January 29, before the series moves to Guwahati, Ranchi and finally Ahmedabad, where the deciding fifth Test runs from February 27 to March 3.
The rivalry between these two sides has been the most competitive in world cricket for the best part of a decade, and hosting the series at home gives India a chance to set the tone after their last overseas encounter in Australia.
An eye on the 2027 World Cup
Nine of the 22 matches are ODIs, and that is no accident. With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, the BCCI wants its senior players logging meaningful 50-over time rather than arriving at the tournament cold. The selectors have reportedly identified around 20 probable squad members already, with IPL 2026 performances set to play a role in the final selection.
The schedule also returns international cricket to venues that have not hosted matches recently, including Bengaluru, Guwahati and New Chandigarh, spreading the game beyond the usual rotation of grounds.
